Bellows-actuated switch



C. A. BRACONIEH.

BELLOWS ACTUATED SWITCH.

APPLICATION HLED SEPT. 14, 1918- 1,381,789. Patented June 14,1921.

dttoaaup UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

CLARENCE A. BRACONIER, F YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN.

BELLOWS-AGTUATED SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 14, 1921.

Application filed September 14, 1918. Serial No. 254,150.

' primary object of my invention is to utilize a partial vacuum system in connection with an electrical alarm system so that an alarm may be sounded in case of fire or a building being burglarized or surreptitiously entered. The partial vacuum is adapted to be maintained by a vacuum pump or other suitable means and when the partial vacuum is destroyed, either by fire or parts of the apparatus being broken, an electrical circuit is established which will operate an audible or visible signal to attract attention.

Another object of my invention is to provide a burglar alarm which includes novel devices which may be attached to doors, windows, and other structures tobe broken or destroyed when the doors, windows or other structures are surreptitiously opened, the destruction of such devices causing an alarm to be sounded.

A further object of myinvention is to provide an alarm apparatus of the above character that may be readily installed in various kinds of buildings and the alarm apparatus set in operation by manual means should occasion so require.

The above and other objects are attained by an arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the alarm apparatus in connection with a winlilow, door and stationary structure, as a des Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the door, showing the equipment therefor;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a window, showing a device attached thereto;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of an adjustable fixture for the window frame;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a manually actuated valve, such as shown in connection with the desk or stationary structure;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a coupling member, and

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a ceiling device, partly broken away and partly in section.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 I denotes an air line adapted to be connected to a vacuum pump or air exhaust apparatus (not shown). The air line extends to a ceiling 2, a window frame 3, a door frame it, and a reel: or stationary structure 5, said structures representing parts of a building in connection with which the alarm can be conveniently installed. The air line 1 has branches 6 at the ceiling 2 and said branches are provided with shut off valves 7 and. with vacuum destroying devices 8, said devices being in the form of hollow bodies,

somewhat spherical shaped, that have perforations filled or closed by a fusible material 9, said fusible material closing the hollow bodies and maintaining a partial vacuum within the pipe line 1, under ordinary conditions, but when a fire occurs a predetermined temperature at the vacuum destroying devices 8 will cause the fusible material to melt and thereby destroy the vacuum in the air line 1.

The reference numeral 10 denotes a switch frame and in one end of said frame is a bellows or normally collapsed resilient device 11 connected by a branch pipe 12 to the air line 1, said branch pipe having a 13 so that the reduction of atmospheric pressure or partial vacuum within the pipe line can be easily determined. The bellows 11 is held normally collapsed by the reduc tion of atmospheric pressure in the pipe line and when the'partial vacuum is destroyed the bellowsll becomes extended. The bellows 11 is connected to a plunger 1 engaging a switch member 15 adapted to contact with another switch member 16, the switch members 15 and 16 being suitably insulated from each other on the frame 10. The plunger 14 is held normally retracted by the collapsed bellows 11 and engaging said plunger is pivoted bell crank 17 having a weight 18, said weighted bell crank being adapted to lend impetus to the plunger 14, when the bellows ll'is extended, thus securing a positive contact between the switch members 15 and 16. The switch members are connected by wires 19 to a switch 20, battery 21, and an audible or visible signal 2 Should a fire or a'high degree of tem-' close the electric switch which causes the audible or visible signal to be operated and give an alarm.

Extending to the window frame 3 is a branch 23 of the air line 1, said branch having coiled portions 24 connected to valves 25 and said valves are adjustably held by set screws 26 on a slotted fixture 27, carried by the window frame 3. The slotted fixture 2? permits of the valve 25 being adjusted so as to be properly positioned relative to window sashes 28, said sashes having the panes thereof provided with vacuum destroying devices 29. The devices 29 are preferably in the form of oblong vitreous cups connected to the sash panes by cement or held by a partial vacuum produced in said de vices from the air line 1, said devices being connected by tubes 30 and coupling member. 31 to the valves 25. The coupling members 31 permit of the tubes 30 being disconnected when it is desired to raise or lower either of the window sashes 28; it being preferable to close the valves 25 during such operation so as not to destroy the partial vacuum in the air line 1. The vacuum de stroying devices on the sashes may be destroyed when the sash panes are broken for burglarizing purposes, or may be broken by intense heat. In either instance an alarm will be sounded.

The door frame i is provided with a slotted fixture 32 for an adjustable tube holder 33, said tube holder being connected to a branch 3d of the air line 1, and provided with a tube 35 extending in par llelism with a door 36 hinged to the door frame 4. A partial vacuum is maintained in the tube 35 and is destroyed when the door 36 is surreptitiously opened to impinge against the tube and burst the same. It is through the medium of the adjustable tube holder that said tube can be shifted to a retracted position so that the door 86 may be opened and closed without destroying the tube.

Another branch 87 of the air line 1 extends to the desk 5 and is connected to a valve body 38 suitably connected to the desk, said valve body having a normally closed spring pressed plunger valve 39, which when manually opened, destroys the partial vacuum in the air line 1. It is therefore possible for the user of the desk 5 to cause an alarm to be sounded, either in the case of fire or for any other causes.

From the foregoing it will be observed, that Z have devised various forms of vacuum destroying devices that may be used in connection with an air line so that when the partial vacuum is destroyed, an electrical switch will be actuated to operate a visible 'or audible signal, for instance an electric bell, and as a motive power, in lieu of a partial vacuum, I may use air, steam or any liquid or fluid.

It is thought that the operation and utility of the alarm apparatus will be apparent without further description, and while in the r rawing there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claim;

\Vhat I claim is A bellows actuated switch comprising a frame, a switch at one end of said frame having normally open switch members, a bellows in the opposite end of said frame normally retracted by a partial vacuum therein, a plunger slidable in said frame and axially connected to said bellows and adaptedto close said switch members when the partial vacuum is destroyed in said bellows, and a bell crank carried by the lower edge of said frame and having one end thereof engaging said plunger intermediate said bellows and said switch and the opposite end thereof provided with a weight below said frame,said weighted bell crank adding impetus to the movement of said plunger by said bellows to prevent vibrations of said bellows from opening said switch.

In testimony whereof I a'tli); my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE A. BRACONIER. llitnesses KARL H. BUTLER, ANNA M. Donn. 

